Italians clamp down on overnight beach spot reservations
Italians have had enough and are saying "stop" to those who try to reserve places on beaches a day in advance. In recent days, unusual actions have been carried out on the Italian coast. The coast guard and city police have shown no mercy.
Officers confiscated as many as 220 beach umbrellas from the free beach in Orbetello, Tuscany. This was beach equipment left overnight by tourists who wanted to reserve spots in this way. A similar action was also carried out on the island of Ischia.
Fighting the "umbrella savvy"
During the intervention on the Tuscan coast, 5 sunbeds left by holidaymakers were also taken. As local media explained, the services in Orbetello are fighting the phenomenon of leaving equipment on the beach by people who want to secure a spot for the next day in this prohibited manner.
A similar action against the so-called umbrella savvy was also carried out on the tourist-crowded island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples. Those who left umbrellas and sun loungers on the free beach on Monday evening certainly experienced a big surprise the next morning when they found their beach equipment was gone.
Actions taken
The authorities of many Italian coastal towns are fighting this habit. Moreover, they remind people that leaving their beach equipment overnight is against the rules. Public beaches should remain completely empty from dusk until dawn.
However, it is worth noting that free, public beaches are usually rare in Italy. Paid beaches with amenities dominate the coasts. The cost of renting an umbrella and sun loungers for a family is at least 17-25 euros per day (around £19-£28).
